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Rishabh Pant's 'clear and obvious' injury triggers demand for 'substitutions', Ex-England captain questions ICC rules
Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against England after copping a severe blow to his toe during India's first innings in Manchester
India’s hopes of a comeback in the ongoing Test series suffered a major dent on Thursday as Rishabh Pant was ruled out after sustaining a toe fracture on the opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Pant, who had begun with typical flair during his 37-run knock, copped a brutal blow while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes and walked off visibly in pain, never to return.
Scans have confirmed a fracture in the metatarsal region of his right foot, the group of small bones that bear weight during movement, with the swelling and visible bleeding underscoring the severity of the injury. Though the BCCI is yet to release a formal update, a team insider confirmed that Pant will need at least six weeks of recovery time.
India vs England Live Updates 4th Test Day 2
He did not travel with the team on Thursday and instead went for additional scans, indicating the seriousness of the setback.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan, reacting to the incident, reignited the debate around player substitution in Tests.
“Clear and obvious injuries in the first innings of Tests we should allow like for like Subs .. we have concussion subs so surely we can have subs for injuries like Rishabhs ..,” Vaughan wrote on X, sparking discussion on whether Test cricket should adapt its rules further for fairness and player safety.
Injury concerns mount for India
Pant’s absence leaves India with another gap to fill. The team, already trailing 1-2 in the series, is also missing Nitish Kumar Reddy (knee), Arshdeep Singh (finger), and Akash Deep (groin). While Dhruv Jurel will fill in for Pant behind the wickets, the side will remain a batter short in both innings.
India may turn to Ishan Kishan as a back-up wicketkeeper for the final Test, who has recently featured in the county cricket. KL Rahul remains another option behind the stumps, but he hasn’t kept wickets since the South Africa tour last year.
Before injury cut his innings short, Pant had briefly wrested back momentum for India, taking the attack to Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse with a mix of bold strokes and audacious intent. His departure now robs India of a rare game-changer, a void that may prove telling in a must-win contest.
